How to Find a Hearing Professional in Florida?
If you’re experiencing sudden hearing loss, are worried you’re at risk of hearing loss, or need additional assistance with hearing loss treatment, a hearing professional can offer assistance. A professional hearing center that employs experienced hearing loss specialists like otolaryngologists can determine the cause of your hearing loss and the best course of treatment moving forward.
At Florida Gulf Coast Hearing Center, we have board-certified otolaryngologists on staff who are dedicated to providing compassionate, comprehensive, professional hearing services in Naples and Estero, FL to patients of all ages.
Questions to Ask at a Professional Hearing Center in FL
When you visit an audiologist or professional hearing specialist, you should have a list of questions to ask. This will help you prepare for your visit and ensure you don’t forget anything important. You should also find out whom you can call if you have further questions after you leave the professional hearing center. Here are some important questions you should consider asking when you visit a professional hearing services center:
- What type of hearing loss do I have?
- Is there anything I can do to prevent further hearing loss?
- Will my hearing get worse?
- Could my diet or medication affect my hearing?
- Is my hearing loss hereditary or genetic?
- Would professional hearing aids or other assistive devices help?
- What devices are available to me and how quickly can I be fitted for one?
- Is surgical intervention necessary now or in the future?
- How can I maximize and preserve the hearing I still have?
- Can I compensate somehow for my hearing loss?
- Do I need to share this information with my primary care physician, and what is their role in my hearing loss treatment?
Wearing the Right Type of Ear Protection
Wearing ear protection and safety gear when you’re around loud noises can protect you from hearing loss. When you already have hearing loss and wear hearing aids, you also need to protect your ears when you’re in a noisy environment. Passive earmuffs are ear protection that work with hearing aids and allow you to still communicate with others while protecting your ears.
When playing sports, particularly water sports or contact sports, you should consider removing your hearing aids and storing them somewhere safe so that they don’t get damaged. If you’re wearing a hearing aid while you play contact sports, there is always a chance that a fall or blow to the head could break the hearing aid and cause it to cut, perforate, or otherwise injure your ear.
Giving Your Ears Recovery Time
When you first begin wearing your new hearing aids, there will be a period of adjustment during which you and your body will get used to the hearing aids. It typically takes around four months for you to become accustomed to the hearing aids, so staying patient is key to having the best success.
You may also need to visit your audiologist or hearing specialist for adjustments during the trial period with your hearing aids. Remember to be realistic. Practice refocusing on your environment, be patient, and rest when needed.
Having Sound Volume Awareness
Another common concern patients have when they are first fitted with hearing aids is whether they are talking too loudly. If you’re a first-time hearing aid user, you may need to adjust the sound and volume of your voice. Your audiologist can make adjustments to your hearing aids, as well. After a while, you should become accustomed to speaking with your hearing aids in, and you’ll get more used to the sound quality and the sound of your own voice.
Consult Your Primary Care Physician
Many medical specialists can work closely with you to help you adjust to sudden hearing loss and wearing hearing aids or other assistive hearing devices. Each member of your team can help you come to terms with your hearing loss, use your hearing aids and assistive devices correctly, care for your remaining hearing, maintain your overall health, and manage the emotions that you may experience due to changes with your hearing.
It is recommended that in addition to your primary care physician and your audiologist, you should also consider speaking with a therapist or spiritual counselor, and a friend or family member who has gone through a similar experience. This can help you navigate the difficulties and changes you face while staying healthy and positive.
Call Our Professional Hearing Center in Naples & Estero, FL
If you’re looking for a professional hearing center in Naples or Estero, FL, come see us at Florida Gulf Coast Hearing Center today. Our compassionate, experienced audiologists, board-certified otolaryngologists, and other helpful staff members can help you navigate your new journey. We will measure your hearing loss, determine the cause of your hearing loss, and provide the best treatment method possible to restore or maintain your remaining hearing abilities. To learn more or schedule an appointment with one of our board-certified professionals in otolaryngology, please call us today at (239)514-2419 or contact us online.